On August 7, 2018 at 1:18 AM local time, SpaceX Booster Number 46 lifted the Merah Putih satellite to orbit for Telkom Indonesia. While this is the fifteenth time that SpaceX has re-flown a first-stage booster, this is the first time that they have re-flown their new Block 5 version of the booster. The booster originally launched Bangabandhu-1 on May 11, 2018. The 88 days to recover, refurbish, and re-fly the booster is significantly faster than the refurbishment times for previous versions.

As we disembark the buses we hear “Check item 347,” and remember that the OA-9 launch team has been on the job since 10:00 pm, 5 hours earlier than us. The clouds are broken and allow us glimpses of stars, but we are also able to see clouds lighting up, and an occasional flash from a storm just offshore.

Resupply mission OA-9 will carry a mix of cargo weighing 3,350 Kg (7,385 lbs.) plus an array of Cube SATS. This version of the Cygnus is the Enhanced Cygnus Pressurized Cargo Module (PCM) with an empty weight of 3,375 Kg, standing 639 cm tall (20 ft) and controlled with 32 thrusters. After delivering supplies it will be reloaded with approximately 3,200 Kg of disposal cargo before departing the ISS. The typical resupply mission carries crew provisions, food, scientific experiments, EVA supplies and vehicle hardware. So what’s in the OA-9 Cygnus?